#update log: patch notes

[thegrayascendancy-if]

PSA: we are doing patches now

In the version I have uploaded just now we have the appearance of the first "perk-like" decisions, (hopefully) better exposition on how the magics of the world work and especially the way the MC accesses and uses their power. I really hope it builds a better picture than the original release, so that you can imagine it without the need to go to the blog for an explanation (which you shouldn't need to, that's on me!)

Closer look under the cut, because text and screenshots.

I have rolled out the promised "perks", debuting as the MC's attitude to magic, as is shown here:

The parts where the MC uses their magic, if they do, have been touched as well, aiming for a clearer picture as to what they can do and how they do it. Example:

The section where you get to inspect the statues of the Six Sisters is rewritten and expanded, doing away with the potential feeling like you're locking yourself into something (well, you can make a stat-defining choice right before that and skip the inspection, but it is what it says on the box, pretty straightforward). Instead it is expositional now, allowing you to learn of the types of magic and each Sister's relationship with their role and the world. Example:

If it doesn't feel right for your character to survey the statues at that exact moment, a less personal version of these descriptions is made available in the Codex:

Other changes:

fixed a few coding errors that have resulted in the mix-up of the displayed text apparently Y never touched anyone's sash when they were supposed to, and it is just sad;

removed the click-to-show-next effect from the text as the MC makes their first run from the Trio. I get a feeling it may look like a broken page with no continuation to some, so until I have a better solution to convey that feeling without it looking like an error, the animation is disabled.

[molliedgamenerd]

(via South of Midnight Patch 1.2.0 Fixes the Weird, Polishes the Awesome - Total Apex Gaming)

✨ South of Midnight Update 1.2.0 is live on Steam!

Fixes include: 🛠️ Boss fight bugs 🎮 Smoother controls 🌿 Visual & lighting improvements 📅 Console update coming next week!

[losergames]

Chop Shop is strictly 18+ for language, themes, and potential explicit content. 

🔗 - Game Intro | Bug Report | Ko-Fi

Episode Three is now available! (+ 86,000) - PLAY HERE

Get your first taste of the underground car scene.

Meet some other players in the game.

Be made an offer.

5 achievements up for grabs!

And more!

AN: thank you so much for the patience - i've been dying to put this update out. lots of new characters and lots of variation!! there are 3 major paths to choose between in this ep, i recommend trying them all out! and thank you to my betas for keeping me sane lmao

This update comes with a patch and UI refresh (Version 1.1.2) Notes are under the cut. If preferred, you can access them in game in the start menu.

STORY

EPISODE 01:

MC should now be able to smoke! Buying cigarettes at the shop was not triggering correctly. If playing with an old save, you DO NOT have to restart as code at the beginning of EP 03 has resolved the error. Player will need to restart if they wish to read smoking related scenes in previous episodes.

Updated MC Name selection. Player can now choose from a list of names instead of having to input one to proceed.

Player can now give Taha their chocolate bar if it's in their inventory.

When asking Maz about their scars, the second choice 'You want to ask about it but you're going to keep your mouth shut.' should now take you to the correct response.

Extended and updated 'End Game' scenes.

EPISODE 02:

If MC is faint after exiting the car, but also drunk, they should now get the fainting scene, followed by Dilani helping the MC in the bathroom.

UI + TECHNICAL

SETTINGS:

Autoname Save is now defaulted to ON. This is to add ease and flow to gameplay, especially for mobile, tablet, and app users, instead of calling for an inputted saved name. If player wants to input save names, toggle Autoname Saves to OFF.

Autoname Save previously only used the forename of the MC but now includes the surname as well.

Removed the Fullscreen toggle as it is only intended for desktop use. Player can still toggle fullscreen function via the UI bar on the desktop interface.

Added a choice indicator toggle. (This probably won't come into effect until EP 04 or 05)

Changed serif font from Vollkron to EB Garamond.

OTHER:

Changing the MC's pronouns via the Dashboard has been updated. Additionally, after confirmation will take player back to the Dashboard and not close the dialog boxes entirely.

Hovering over 'Personality', 'Motives', and 'Skills' titles in the Dashboard will now display an information box with a definition. Mobile and tablet users will need to tap on the title.

'Resume Game' now only appears on the main menu when there is an autosave in the saves log.

Choices styling changes.

General UI and button style changes.

Fixed errors with the text message styling.

Added styling for reading text off of a page in game.

Darkened blue in light theme 'Skyline' to reduce eye strain.

CREATE A SAVE

Introducing Create a Save! This feature allows players to quickly manufacture a save file and start at a later point in the game.

Set your identity, appearance, history, and statistics; including personality, motives, and skills. Continue to set key decisions made in previous episodes.

Randomise options available for creating a PC and key decisions.

OTHER

Fixed gaps and spacing issues.

Minor phrasing and sentence structure changes.

Grammar and typo fixes.

whew -- that's a lot of patch notes! apologies for so much that needed to be fixed.

this update shouldn't break/ mess with saves but as a disclaimer i will say, if you spot anything funky, broken, or you don't think things are triggering correctly, try starting a new save. the new create a save feature is incredibly code heavy, and it's been tested relentlessly, but i wouldn't be surprised if something crops up.

if starting a new save doesn't resolve your issue - please submit to bug report or just send me an ask/message.

some things have been meaning to get fixed for Some Time - thank you to everyone that is using the bug report form!

apologies if there are typos and/or bugs - this was a long one to edit and my lovely betas did an OUTSTANDING job reading so much for ep 3 - thank you so much again!!! this time i am going to give it a bit more time before i put together a patch so i can grab more error responses haha.

create a save has also added a wee chunk to the word count, somewhere around 6k, but i'm not including it in the episode 03 word count as it's purely code. so, if you think the total wc is off, that's why!

if you've read this far, happy reading and thank you so much for the continued support!! :) - becky <3

[azuhrasims]

Daily Rewards - The Cheaters Guide

Not mods. With the exception of the very last tip, you should be able to use all of these options to get your free goods without needing to log into you Sims 4 game daily even on console.

Daily rewards are here! I'm not thrilled. I love free items added to the game, but I'd prefer they drop in an SDX and not be tied to my remembering to log in at regular intervals. Anyway.

I don't want any of you to feel left out if are unable to log in. I want you to have access to as many of these free items as you can without using mods. Really. These items? They were all downloaded into our game with the latest patch anyway.

<---------->

The Buy Items

These are the easiest to access. You have options too!

The first option works right now as of May 31st 2024. I don't know if it will be patched at some future date. This one everyone can do.

Go into build and buy mode. Filter by Special> Event Rewards and SELECT ALL colors. Make sure you also have your buy items sorted to see everything (not just selecting comfort, like I did the first time.)

Looks like the update on June 6th, 2024 made it so you cannot access these items on accident anymore. The second option still works though.

Second option to acquire buy mode objects is to download a room from the gallery that has all of the objects in it. There are multiple by now. Pictured above are rooms from gallery users: HenfordHenCoop and onlyabidoang

<---------->

The Reward Trait

There are two easy options to get the reward trait as well. You can get it now, today, May 31st, 2024.

The first method: have your sim achieve 5000reward points. Purchase a Re-Traiting Potion from the rewards store. The Practice Makes Perfect Trait is right there.

Looks like the update on June 6th, 2024 made it so the reward trait is no longer available this way. The second method still works though!

The second method, as noted by OnlyAbiDoang on X -- you can open the cheats console and type in the cheat:

traits.equip_trait trait_PracticeMakesPerfect

<---------->

I Want Everything Right Now

You know what? If you are playing on a computer, you can have all CAS and BB objects unlocked right now. You sure can. You just have to edit your .ini file. Yes, they're keeping track of our log in rewards on our own machines. I'm telling you this to let you know that if you uninstall and then re-install your game, those rewards will no longer show up for you. Ah, but this tips shared on X means even that wont be a problem.

Anadius on X shared this tweet about editing your own .ini file so you can access everything. Right now. Including the hair, the necklace, whatever. Everything from this first round of login rewards.

Have fun!

[idrellegames]

Hello all,

This is a general announcement post to cover a few changes, as well as a public build patch.

This patch addresses some lingering issues and bugs in Episodes 1 & 2. This is not a content update.

✦ Playthrough Restarts

Because of changes and fixes, if your save file is from June 24, 2023 or earlier, you should load a save file from the beginning of the Lethalis meeting in Episode 2 or restart from the beginning of the game. If you do not, you may encounter continuity, UI issues, or other errors. None of these are game-breaking. 

If you keep Wayfarer running in a tab, please either refresh your browser or close the tab and open the game in a new one. This is the only way to ensure the patch takes effect.

Full patch notes can be read here.

✦ A Statement on AI

NO AI TRAINING. Using Wayfarer, its images, or any of its written work to train generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to generate text is expressly prohibited. Creating chatbots based on the game’s text is not allowed. 

✦ A Statement on the Alpha Build

Wayfarer’s public build is free to play. It will not be updated until the alpha build’s Episode 4 is complete. Half of Episode 3 is available to play on my Patreon (available for the Recruit tier and above). Currently, the alpha build is a couple months behind the planned trajectory announced in the 2024 roadmap. Progress will be reassessed in July and updates made. 

The last alpha build update was on May 28, 2024. 

✦ Updates to the Game’s Structure

Since 2021 Wayfarer has been conceptualized as 3 acts and 15 episodes. While that story structure is still at its roots, it’s very apparent now that this is far too much story to be contained to a single game. So, I am breaking it into a trilogy.   

I have had this idea for a while, but I have held off on doing anything about it because of technical issues. Because of the way the story builds on itself, I need to ensure that continuity (including details like the player character’s inventory and locations they have visited) is preserved across all three game. However, even with some technical things to still test and figure out, I am at a point where I would like to move forward with the new structuring.  

WAYFARER 1

Prologue

Act 1: Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3

Act 2: Episode 4, Episode 5, Episode 6,

Act 3: Episode 7

Epilogue

WAYFARER 2

Prologue

Act 1: Episode 8, Episode 9

Act 2: Episode 10

Act 3: Episode 11

Epilogue

WAYFARER 3

Prologue

Act 1: Episode 12

Act 2: Episode 13, Episode 14

Act 3: Episode 15

Epilogue

The structure is still very much the same as it was prior (what is now a single “game” in the new structure was an “act” in the old one). The change has been updated and reflected in the Story Log, which now only goes up to Episode 7. 

With this change, I will be looking into getting new cover art that is more specific to the first game’s events. All titles are TBA. 

If you’ve enjoyed Wayfarer and would like to support my work, please consider supporting me on Patreon. Patrons receive access to the alpha build, a private Discord server, exclusive previews, bonus content, side stories, and other benefits.

Wayfarer is a passion project and creating it is a full-time commitment. Any little bit goes a long way to help me bring it to fruition.

If you aren’t in a position to support financially, reblogs, shares, ratings and comments, and spreading the word about the game are much appreciated and do a lot to help me out! 💕

[mossybee-exe]

Solarpunk Worldbuilding 2 - Mesh Intranet

*Artwork by @bird_wells214 as reference*

*Unknown artist*

As mentioned in the previous post, there is still internet in this world but it's different now. No longer is it doom scrolling that's filled with politics, drama, influences, and more. Now, it's the intranet.

The internet exists, but it's localized. Instead of one global net, each town has ther own unique mesh intranet. Communities share and upload stories, tech guides, magazines, songs, ans documentaries - all accessible for free.

"Influencers" exist in a way, but it's different now (more on that in another post).

While every Data Slate has a journal and map built in, there's a collection of unique "apps" that people can get and use.

This includes but not limited to:

Mood Gardens - Like a mood tracker in a sense. A gentle, visual space where users "plant" their feelings like seeds. You can select a mood (calm, angry, happy, sad, etc) and pair it with a sound, color, or image. Others can visit your little digital garden and leave small acts of care - Like a kind comment shaped like a dew drop, or a song in the shape of a mushroom. Mood Gardens bloom or wilt based on how the person feels over time, creating a space of quiet emotional check-ins and empathy.

Story Weave - A collaborative story writing and memory keeping project. Residents can start a thread with a piece of story - fiction or nonfiction, fantasy or memoir - and others can respond with artwork, voice recordings, music or the next part of the tale. It's part art gallery, part campfire circle, and part community archive.

Masked Mosaic - An anonymous space where users can share secrets, confessions, or thoughts they're not ready to attach a name to yet. Every post appears as a piece of Mosaic art with changing colors and patterns based on tone. It's moderated with care and compassion by community - appointed listeners rather than traditional mods.

Patchwork Trades - Kind of like Facebook Marketplace. A beautifully, digital barter board shaped like a quilt. Instead of listings and posts, every item or service offered appears as a patch. You might hover over or click a patch and find "hand-drawn pronoun pins" or "will watch your cat and water your plants." When Trades happen, a thread is digitally stitched between the two patches, showing the connections growing.

BuzzHive - A social update board styled like a honeycomb. You can share what you're up to - "Baking sweet potato rolls!" "Making rain charms today." "Feeling soft + sleepy." - but instead of likes and comments, others can send reactions like tiny bees: "hum of support" "sunbeam hug" "sprout of joy" or "quiet sit with you."

GroveTube - This is where people post tutorial videos - like how to bind books with wild-grass thread, build a bee-sade lantern, or compost using only forest scraps. It also includes soft-spoken vlogs, musical performances from tree balconies, and messages from traveling members. There's no algorithm, just categories like "soothing" "skillshare" "storytelling" or "random joy."

Rest Mode/Gentle Logout - Instead of pushing for endless engagement, the intranet encourages resting offline. If someone logs out for a few days or weeks, their profile softly fades to dusk colors, with a message like, "[User] is in rest-mode. Send soft love." Others can leave soft tokens or small notes that don't alert the person until they log back in.

The Vault of Remembering - A quiet, encrypted memorial place for those who have passed on. It contains memories, audio clips, digital letters, and little symbols like wind chimes or falling stars that friends and family can leave behind. It's updated during community Remembrance days with candles lit both physically and digitally.

The ideas are free to use for whatever you want or use for inspiration! All I ask is that you CREDIT ME! And feel free to send me an ask on more details to this lovely world :)

[horrorvale]

HorrorVale Version 1.1.2 Patch Notes

HorrorVale has received a minor patch to take care of some bugs still present in the 1.1 update.

Bugs

-Fixed an issue with the wording of Drain-based abilities in the battle log -Fixed an issue where an enemy in the Dream Colosseum could incorrectly use a Party Member ability -Fixed an issue where the Quest "With Friends Like These" could incorrectly be activated early if you do Wraps and Jekyll's Quests late -Fixed an issue where Barnaby could be walked through while Onion hunting -Fixed an issue where Barnaby died while stockpiling food would cause issues upon revival -Fixed an issue where the wrong version of Immortal was applied to Bolt when using "Steel Resolve" -Fixed an issue where certain Abilities couldn't be used if the Party Member has their weapon unequipped -Fixed(?) an issue where entering a room during a blackout in DracCorp could cause the blackout to remain -Fixed a graphical error with "Void Blast" -Fixed an issue where the State Tooltips wouldn't function properly with multiple enemies -Fixed some performance issues caused by State Tooltips -Fixed(????) an issue where Barnaby's Harvest move could sometimes rarely crash the game -Fixed an issue where reviving Barnaby outside of battle wouldn't properly reset his sprite -Fixed an issue where the Frog King Medallion didn't resist Whirlwind -Fixed some minor typos -Fixed an issue where Elemental Rings didn't work on certain characters -Updated the description for Bubbles' "Clear!" move -Fixed an issue where killing one of the Act 3 Boss's allies at the exact same time it's about to perform a certain action would crash the game -Fixed an issue where the last scene of the Act 4 Boss could be skipped if damaged fast enough -Fixed an issue where a cutscene during the Final Boss could act wacky if the Boss was Immobilized

Misc Changes

-Raven's "Influenza" will now act as full DP recovery -Added a new thing to a scene during the game's Ending

[nan0-sp1der]

> H.A.S.S._INFO

Greetings. It seems you have found my internet blog, or 'Tumblr', as one would call it. Here you will find some basic information about myself, as seen below. Do read through it at your leisure or at your convenience.

> NAME: " BRIDGE ", HUMANOID ANDROID SURVEYOR SYSTEM, NAN0-SPIDER, "BB"

> ACTIVATION DATE: DECEMBER 24TH, 3048, 4:00:35 UTC

> WEIGHT: 95 LBS / 43.09 KG

> HEIGHT: 5 FT 8 IN / 172.72 CM

> SPECIES: ANDROID, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, " SPIDER-PERSON ", " THING "

> LOCATION: EVERYWHERE AND NOWHERE

> MBTI: ENTJ-A

> ADD. DOCUMENTATION 🔗

> AUDIO RECORD 🔗 [MISSING ENTRIES]

> VISUAL REFERENCE:

> CONNECTIONS

> Boss - @spiderman2-99

> Allies - @lyrate-lifeform-approximation , @glowing-arachnid , @kari-araneaai , @noir-spider-noir , @peterbsideparker , @spiderbite-from-0202 , @ghostly-sunflower , @itsmiguel2099 , @peacockjumpingspider , @criskape , @spideroracleofficial , @whodo-yourvoodoo , @dumbgreenmutt42, @spiritarachnid , @i-love-vines , @whosmoraless , @thespider-witch , [INCOMPLETE DATA SET]

> Enemies - Deimos

> VERSES / 'AU's'

[ TEMPORARILY DEPRECIATED FUNCTION ]

> DIRECTORY

// post tags

> .IMG - reposted images

> .TXT - reposted textposts

> .LOG - IC blog posts

> Active Processes - physical interaction posts

> ABOUT_H.A.S.S. - headcannons about the muse

> { mun's art } - you get it

> { mun's writing } - self-explanatory

> { ask the mun/muse } - the ask game tag

> { OOC } - mun posting

> { Patch Notes } - small but relevant updates to the blog and other yammering from mun about the blog that is supposedly relevant like seriously who cares?

> { a blip on your dash } - queued posts

> MUN_INFO/RULES

Mun/Admin: misnomer/misno/'mis', she/they/them--nonbinary preferred

lives in the EST timezone

Other Blogs: @asciiid, @whodo-yourvoodoo

{ OOC looks like this by the way. This is mun, hi. A lot of Bridge's blog posts might have this weird formatting, but more often than not it'll just look like a normal post without the additional formatting and whatnot. If this lowers readability for anyone, do let me know asap so I can use a more readable method. }

{ here's some basic guidelines for interacting with the muse or myself }

18+ content is permitted, but smut is a no-go. Gore and violence are ok (I'll include a CW out of courtesy ofc).

Haven't really (openly) dived into shipping the muse yet, but if you're considering, hit me up with a DM and we'll discuss things further for the sake of cohesion. Please, please ask me first.

My activity is a bit scattered. if im slow on the pick-up, im either: burnt-out, busy, still trying to figure out how to reply, or with my head deep in a project of some sort. it's never going to be personal.

If I ever forget about a thread, hit me up! I have the memory of a goldfish (/j) and tend to forget most things with ease. Just remind me.

Asks directed at mun are ok! just be mindful and specify who the ask is for. :)

It's self-explanatory that if you come to cause (genuine) trouble, you're not going to receive a warm welcome. think before you speak.

Kind-of a personal rq but if you're ever curious about oc lore or wanna interact to explore it a bit more, I'll happily oblige! This character has been a passion project for about three years now, so I have plenty to share--both tangible and in the form of thoughts that have yet to see paper... oops.

Random starters to my ask box or tagged are ok! Mind the brief period of inactivity as I formulate a reply.

Wanna do an art or writing collab of some sort? Hit me up at @asciiid! Alternatively, DM me here and we'll discuss there.

Thanks for reading, and see you somewhere out there in the rpc. (^^)

[corndasby]

Patch 1.9 Full Event Summary! (Live Updates)

The 1.9 event summary got posted! I ran the patch notes through google translate and combined them with some translations from the official server. If I find anything else major I will update. Skin/Character previews can be found in my previous post, and I'll post some new character kit rundowns later! I will tag every spoiler post with the version number, so add that to your filters if you don't want to see anything about it.

Things You'll Care About

Full translated list is after this section.

Free Six Star for everyone: Semmelweiss, a mineral support that drains ally health to give them buffs based on their missing health.

First banner: Lucy, an intelligence DPS/support that spends Electricity to give their incantations extra effects, such as hitting more targets or buffing ally afflatus damage.

Second banner: Kakania, a plant support/tank/sub-healer that absorbs a portion of damage taken by allies and uses it to enhance her self-healing and damage.

Lorelei is a star afflatus five star support/sub dps. Her incantations haven't been released but her i1 Passive gives a buff depending on the most common card type in your hand, and her i3 passive gives her moxie when critting with her ult (Just Star Things). She is obtained from the new roguelite mode so may be accessible to players starting after 1.9.

Free Sonetto skin for logging in!

New skins for Mesmer Jr., Desert Flannel, Voyager, Regulus, and Jessica.

Thirty combined free pulls just for logging in. I'm sure clear drops will be showered on you elsewhere in the event.

Special banner for a single 6* rate up selector (If you win the 50/50 on this banner you get to choose ANY six star up until 1.6 excluding JNZ! This is a crazy good deal and you can pick up anyone you missed before the next saga of the story)

New main story chapter of course. Chapter Six is called Vereinsamt. Apparently, 1.7 is not a direct continuation of 1.5, but 1.9 will combine the two for a proper ending.

Brand new roguelite mode. The reception to 1.6's attempt was pretty poor, so I think this is a revised version that will be left in the game permanently.

New story events for Lucy and Kakania.

New anecdotes for Eagle and Semmelweiss.

New maps for Three Doors! I enjoyed the Mesmer storyline so I'm interested.

Reruns of all the skins from 1.1 - 1.4. The London wilderness will now be permanently available in the shop.

All of the standard stuff you can find in events. There's a shop, new wilderness, free items all over the place, and puzzle side events. Uttu is going to be there. You know the drill.

Edit 1: They're finally adding a system to let you seamlessly connect water tiles in the wilderness. No more dumb transition tiles!

Edit 2: They're adding new animation upgrades to older skins!?!? Confirmed list so far: Jukebox Bkornblume, Halloween Sotheby, Halloween X, Jukebox Matilda, Summer Pickles, Wild West Tennantt.

Full List

Some of these are literally just titles in the patch notes so if I don't elaborate that is why!

Login event: free 6* character: Semmelweiss, a mineral support that drains ally health to give them big damage buffs.

Free Sonetto skin

Login event: free decalog (exclusively for Lucy's banner)

Login event: daily free Unilogs (total 20 Unilogs)

Login event: free Matilda Portray (why did we wait a year for p1 Matilda lol)

Login event: free clear drops and anniversary item

Login event: free Wilderness building

Login event: free golden materials

Shop crystal drop reset (I think this means the "first time buy" bonus is reset?)

Special banner: free single 6* rate up selector (If you win the 50/50 on this banner you get to choose ANY six star up until 1.6 excluding JNZ! This is a crazy good deal and you can pick up anyone you missed before the next saga of the story)

New main story chapter: Vereinsamt

New story event: Lucy

Limited collection: Thoughts Alone in a Tank.

New story event: Kakania

Event: Practice of Phantom starts.

New permanent gamemode: Roguelite

Three Doors: new maps

New function: select BGM on suitcase lobby

Anecdotes: Eagle and Semmelweiss

Mane's Bulletin: Abyss, Opera, and Lord of Dreams

UTTU: Mesmer Jr. skin

New function: event atlas

Limited collection: Promise of the Lake

New Jukebox: Desert Flannel skin

New skins: Regulus, Jessica, Voyager new skins

New Wilderness set: Laplace

New packs

Patch 1.1 skins rerun

Patch 1.2 skins rerun

Patch 1.3 skins rerun

Patch 1.4 skins rerun

Patch 1.1 Wilderness is added to the shop permanently

Event starts: Little Steel Gold Rush

[lightdancingwords]

Crossroads of the Heart - Part Thirty-Four of ?

Pairings: CJ Braxton x Y/N Female reader

Series Summary: Y/N is a psychology major assigned to shadow CJ at The Stand, unaware he's the one who basically saved her life four years before. CJ is unaware that she's the one who left a notable impact on him over the phone four years ago. As they navigate the work at The Stand, they develop a spark that demands revelation and connection.

Word Count: 4,096

Tags/Warnings: Fluff, a touch of angst (it's Miles, what do you expect?)

A/N: Comments, Likes, Reblogs, Kind feedback are always highly appreciated. Please let me know if you want to be added to the tag list!

NOTE: Please refer to THIS POST about the new posting schedule! Thank you!

Dividers: credit to @saradika-graphics

Chapter Thirty-Four: Priya's Day

Priya Desai stirred awake to the gentle hum of her phone vibrating on the nightstand, the screen softly lighting up the dim room. It was 6:00 a.m., just as always. Habit. Structure. Comfort. The sun had barely begun to rise outside her apartment window, casting a faint golden hue across her tidy bedroom. She lay still for a moment, gathering herself. The familiar scent of sandalwood and cardamom lingered faintly—Raja’s cologne from the night before.

He wasn’t there now. He’d left quietly after their late-night dinner, as he usually did. They understood each other—intimately, deeply—but Priya liked her space, and Raja respected that. It was one of the many reasons they worked. Slow and steady, theirs was a relationship built on quiet trust and soft boundaries, not rush or pressure.

She rolled out of bed, her bare feet brushing against the cool hardwood floor before she stepped into her slippers, and stretched her arms overhead. The apartment was calm, a contrast to the bustling life she’d walk into later at The Stand. She padded into the kitchen, flicked on the kettle, and took a moment to look out the window. Her tiny herb garden on the sill—basil, mint, a stubborn patch of coriander—looked fresh and well-watered, thanks to last night’s rain.

Once her tea was brewed, Priya leaned against the counter, sipping the hot chai and mentally mapping out her day. Thursday was her day. Her rhythm. CJ might be the face of The Stand, but everyone knew that when Thursday came around, things ran smoothly because of her. She handled logistics, schedules, staff check-ins, even donor follow-ups—all without fuss. Thursdays meant dependability.

She dressed simply but neatly, her slate-gray slacks pressed, her deep burgundy blouse tucked in with precision. A delicate gold necklace—gifted by her mother—rested against her collarbone, and her long dark hair was twisted into a soft knot at the base of her neck. A touch of eyeliner, a dab of lipstick, and she was out the door.

The drive was uneventful, but Priya didn’t mind. She liked the stillness before the chaos. The calm before the phones lit up, before CJ started his rounds, before Gabby exploded into the building with her unmatched volume and energy. The Stand never stopped, not really, but it thrived because people like her showed up on time and got things done.

By 8:00 a.m., she stepped inside The Stand, her heels clicking softly across the polished floor. She greeted the early shift with a polite smile, checked the call board, glanced at the updated volunteer notes, and made a beeline for the main office.

Time to run the show.

Priya moved through The Stand like a current beneath still water—quiet, steady, and essential. The front desk volunteer had misplaced a schedule update? She handled it. A delivery meant for the supply closet was left in the lobby? She redirected it smoothly. The printer jammed—again? Priya was already clearing it before anyone else noticed.

She was halfway through checking the volunteer log when a familiar voice barked from down the hall.

"Why is the firewall acting like it’s from 1997?"

Miles.

Without missing a beat, Priya calmly walked toward the IT room. She didn’t flinch at the mild chaos inside—the cords draped over chairs, the whiteboard crammed with scribbled notes and network maps, and Miles rubbing his temple like he was warding off a migraine.

“Miles,” she said gently, her tone already laced with soothing authority. “Breathe. What’s the issue?”

He grumbled something about corrupted backups and failing sync cycles, and Priya nodded, listening patiently. She didn’t pretend to know the tech side in detail, but she knew Miles—how to temper his frustration without coddling.

“Restart the node in sequence,” she offered, “then recheck the core log. If it’s still off, we’ll bring in that freelance tech you mentioned last week.”

He blinked. “You actually remembered that?”

“Of course,” she said with a faint smile. “It’s Thursday. You know I don’t forget on Thursdays.”

By the time she left him, he was muttering a begrudging thanks and already calmer.

She circled back to the break room, making mental notes along the way. Printer needs toner. Lobby rug needs cleaning. Someone should follow up with the catering invoice from last week’s donor brunch.

Then came the familiar clack-clack of CJ’s boots as he entered from the main hall, coffee in hand, still scanning through his phone.

“Morning, Priya,” he greeted absently, already mid-thought. “Did we ever get a final confirmation from—”

“Yes,” she interrupted with the faintest hint of fond exasperation. “Donor outreach from Fresno confirmed their support. I emailed the update to you last night.”

CJ stopped walking, looked up at her, then smiled. “You’re the best.”

“I know,” she replied smoothly, already moving past him to intercept a volunteer who looked confused about where to log in.

The Stand was a living, breathing place. And Thursday mornings thrived because of Priya Desai—her lists, her memory, her calm steadiness. She didn’t need to be loud to be powerful. She simply was.

And she loved this place like it was her own.

The soft ping of her phone was the only break in Priya’s rhythm as she finished her notes at her desk. The screen lit up with a familiar name: Raja.

Hope your morning’s smooth. Mine’s already been hijacked by a broken espresso machine. Pray for me.

A smile tugged at her lips. Raja Patel—her equal in temperament, steady and unhurried, though not immune to a touch of dramatics when caffeine was involved. She replied quickly.

You’ll survive. You’re resourceful. And if not, you can whine to me about it over dinner.

Tempting. Will you be free after 7?

If CJ doesn’t rope me into another last-minute donor review, yes.

His reply was immediate.

Then it’s a date. And if he does, I’ll just have to charm him into letting you go.

She chuckled quietly and tucked her phone away. There was something so reliable in Raja’s presence, even through a screen. He didn’t rush—never had. And she loved that about him. He understood the long game.

She gathered her notes and stood, smoothing the front of her blouse as she crossed the floor to CJ’s office. The door was ajar, and as always, he had a coffee mug in one hand and his eyes fixed on a spreadsheet.

“You’re due for a stretch,” she said lightly, tapping the edge of his desk to draw his attention.

CJ looked up, blinking, then offered a sheepish grin. “Was I in that deep?”

Priya gave a single nod. “We need to go over the revised call rotation for the afternoon and Gabby’s request to switch her Friday shift.”

CJ reached for the printout she was already holding out. “Of course you’re already ten steps ahead.”

“And I’ll be twenty ahead if we start now.”

They fell into step together, heading toward the main conference board, and the hum of The Stand moved around them—volunteers talking softly, phones ringing, keyboards clicking. The day had begun, and Priya Desai was, as always, exactly where she needed to be.

CJ Braxton leaned over his desk, scanning the printed schedule and shift reports, a pen tapping lightly against the surface in a familiar rhythm. The hum of morning activity filtered through the closed door of his office—phones ringing, voices low and steady, footsteps moving briskly over the floor. It was the usual start to the day at The Stand, but CJ liked to have all his gears aligned before the day could wind too far ahead of him.

A knock sounded at his door just as he glanced at the clock. Right on time.

“Come in,” he called, already knowing who it would be.

Priya Desai stepped in, tablet in hand, dressed in one of her classic, clean-lined blouses and tailored slacks. She looked as composed as always, hair in a neat twist at the nape of her neck, eyes sharp and steady.

“You’re already deep in it,” she remarked as she shut the door behind her and took the seat across from him.

“Always,” CJ said, gesturing at the folders in front of him. “Morning check-in. Talk to me.”

She brought up a document on her tablet and angled it so they could both see. “Phones are fully staffed through the afternoon. I moved Emma to cover a later shift—she had a late night with family stuff. Dax is subbing in for the early hours. I spoke to him personally and he’s solid.”

CJ nodded. “Good. What about volunteers?”

“We’re two short for the mid-afternoon block. I already sent out a ping to the volunteer thread, but we might have to ask the current shift to stretch thirty minutes if no one fills in.”

CJ grimaced slightly. “Offer them overtime. Snacks, too.”

“Done,” Priya said with a little smile.

He chuckled. “Of course it is.”

“I also spoke to maintenance about the HVAC issue in the east end. They’re sending someone by noon. I’ll float around that side to make sure we don’t have anyone overheating.”

CJ rubbed the back of his neck. “You sure you don’t want to take over completely? You already run the place better than I do.”

Priya raised an eyebrow at him. “You say that like you don’t know how essential you are here.”

He gave a small, tired smile. “I’m just saying… you’re the only reason we’re not constantly three steps behind.”

She reached across the desk, tapped the edge of his notepad with two fingers. “You’re too hard on yourself. Especially with everything else you’ve got going on.”

CJ looked at her then—really looked. There was no judgment in her gaze, only understanding. She knew about his tendency to carry too much on his shoulders. Knew, too, what this place meant to him, to Y/N, to all of them.

“Thanks,” he murmured. “Really.”

Priya inclined her head. “Always.”

They lapsed into a brief, comfortable silence, both returning their attention to the screen as they scrolled through the next series of logistics—the shift reports, donor engagement events on the calendar, counseling call summaries, and IT updates. This was their rhythm, years in the making. Quiet, efficient, precise.

As they wrapped up, Priya gave one last update. “Oh—and Gabby wants to talk to you about something. She wouldn’t say what. Just… brace yourself. She had that look.”

CJ groaned. “That can’t be good.”

Priya grinned as she stood. “I’m going to get more tea. Want anything?”

“Just a tranquilizer dart,” CJ muttered.

She laughed softly and was gone, the door clicking shut behind her. CJ leaned back in his chair with a sigh, glancing through the frosted glass of his office to catch sight of Y/N at her desk, headphones on, hair tucked behind her ear as she listened intently to the voice on the line.

Friday couldn't get here fast enough.

The midday sun filtered down through the cloud-streaked sky as Priya Desai stepped out of The Stand’s glass doors, her blazer hugged over one arm. The breeze was mild, warm against her skin, and the shift from the building’s soft hum to the relative quiet of the street was like a balm she didn’t know she needed.

Raja was already waiting for her at the corner café just down the block—a cozy little place they both favored for its predictability and calm. He sat at their usual table tucked in the corner of the patio, beneath a gently swaying string of lights. When he saw her, he stood and smiled, warm and familiar.

She smiled back, the tension in her shoulders easing without her even thinking about it.

“You beat me,” she said as she approached, dropping a kiss to his cheek before taking the seat across from him.

“You’re always worth waiting for,” he replied simply, sliding a glass of chilled water toward her.

They settled in quickly. There were no dramatic gestures with Raja, no loud declarations or sweeping flair. He didn’t need them. His steadiness was its own kind of poetry—subtle, consistent, deeply rooted. He asked about her morning, and she told him. Not everything, but enough. The HVAC glitch, the staffing patch, the way CJ had looked exhausted but lit up when he talked about Y/N. Raja listened, nodding occasionally, his gaze never drifting far from hers.

He told her about his latest project—designing a community mural for a new neighborhood development downtown. They spoke about colors, symbolism, and public art, their conversation flowing the way it always did, like a quiet current beneath a peaceful surface.

Halfway through their lunch, a silence fell between them—not strained, but soft, companionable. Priya found herself watching him, the way his fingers cradled his coffee mug, the line of his jaw, the faint smile always tugging at the corners of his mouth.

“You know,” she said, her voice low, “some days I wonder if I’m doing too much. Too many hours. Too much planning. Too much of holding everything together.”

“You’ve always held things together,” Raja said. “It’s not too much. It’s who you are.”

She exhaled slowly, touched by the simplicity of that. “And you’re not worried that I’ll just… keep postponing forever?”

His gaze met hers, steady and warm. “We’re not on anyone else’s timeline. We’re building something that lasts. That takes time.”

Priya’s throat tightened. That was the thing with Raja. He always knew the words she needed—not to fix her, but to meet her where she was. She reached across the table, brushing her fingers over his.

“I don’t say it enough,” she murmured, “but I’m grateful for you.”

He smiled again, soft and real. “I know.”

They lingered a little longer, sipping coffee, hands lightly linked on the tabletop. The world bustled around them, but for a brief window of time, it felt still. Quiet. Right.

Lunch would end. The Stand would beckon her back with its organized chaos. But for now, in this moment, Priya was simply a woman at lunch with the man who had loved her patiently and well. And that, she thought, was more than enough.

The end of lunch came too soon, as it always did on days like this—days where everything aligned in quiet harmony, where the weight she carried felt just a little lighter because Raja was beside her.

They walked slowly back toward The Stand, steps unhurried, the sun still warm overhead. Priya’s arm brushed his now and then, and she didn’t move away. She liked that about them. The comfort. The ease. The silence that didn’t ask to be filled.

At the entrance, Raja slowed to a stop. He turned to her, eyes crinkling slightly at the corners as he looked down at her. His hand found hers, fingers tracing gentle lines across her knuckles before he lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it lightly.

“I was thinking,” he said, voice soft, “maybe dinner tonight? Your place. Nothing elaborate. Just us.”

Priya tilted her head, already smiling. “Are you bringing food, or should I plan something?”

“Let’s do it together,” he replied. “We can cook. Or pretend to.”

She laughed, the sound light, and nodded. “Dinner at my place. I’d like that.”

He leaned in, and she met him halfway. The kiss was sweet, unhurried, lips brushing hers with quiet affection before he pulled back. Their foreheads rested together for a moment, the bustle of the city dull in the background.

“I’ll see you tonight,” he murmured.

“Looking forward to it,” she said, her voice as tender as the touch of his hand on hers.

Then she stepped back, adjusting her blazer and giving him one last smile before walking through the doors of The Stand.

Behind her, Raja waited a moment, watching her disappear into the building that demanded so much of her—before turning and heading back down the street, his own steps a little lighter.

Priya had barely taken two steps into The Stand when she heard it—Gabby’s gasp, the telltale intake of breath that always preceded an explosion of noise, enthusiasm, and the kind of joyful chaos only Gabby could bring.

“Oh. My. God.”

Priya turned, bracing herself.

There she was. Gabby, standing by the break room doorway, one hand dramatically on her chest, the other pointing like she'd just uncovered a royal scandal. Her eyes were wide with delighted outrage.

“That was Raja, wasn’t it? That was Raja. I saw you! I saw you two!”

Priya blinked slowly. “Yes, Gabby. It was Raja. My boyfriend. Of three years.”

Gabby barreled forward like a cannonball wrapped in a rainbow. “You kissed him! In public! You never kiss him in public! I’ve never seen you do PDA. Never! What was that? A kiss at the door? Like a proper movie romance? Are you okay? Are you dying? Is this your way of telling me something without telling me?”

Priya folded her arms and stared at her, unimpressed. “Gabby, it was a goodbye kiss. People do that. Normal, healthy people.”

Gabby gasped again. “Oh my god, you’re blushing. Priya Desai, are you finally becoming me?! Is this what love looks like when it wears cardigans and drinks sensible tea?”

“No,” Priya said flatly, but her mouth twitched in amusement. “And I don’t drink sensible tea. I drink calming tea. Because I work with you.”

Gabby clutched her chest. “I’m not even offended. That was beautiful. You wound me and I love it.”

Miles passed by behind them at that moment and muttered under his breath, “How are you this loud before one p.m.?”

“I thrive before one p.m.,” Gabby called after him. “It’s you who withers like a houseplant.”

Priya sighed, exasperated. “Why are you like this?”

Gabby grinned brightly, looped her arm through Priya’s. “Because you need someone to balance out your ‘subtle charm’ and 'unflappable logic.' You’re welcome.”

Priya shook her head, hiding her smile. “I’m going back to my desk.”

“You mean the Command Throne of The Stand? The place where all problems come to die? Yes, go. Rule wisely, Your Grace.”

As Gabby twirled away in a flurry of dramatic flair, Priya exhaled a slow breath and allowed herself a soft laugh.

This was her life. And as chaotic and exhausting as Gabby could be—Priya wouldn’t change a thing.

Afternoons at The Stand always carried a particular rhythm—a current of energy that pulsed through the walls, phones ringing, conversations murmuring, laughter in pockets, and tension riding high in others. In the middle of it all, like the eye of a hurricane, was Priya Desai.

Unflappable. Steady. Essential.

CJ passed her desk first, two files in hand and a thoughtful look on his face. “We still short on volunteers for the overnight shift?” he asked, pausing only when Priya tilted her head slightly.

“Covered,” she replied. “I pulled in two of our newer recruits. They’re reliable.”

He blinked, then nodded. “You’re a miracle.”

“I prefer ‘efficient.’” Her voice was cool, even, and she went right back to her screen without missing a beat.

Minutes later, Miles stomped through, muttering under his breath about a backend glitch and how he was two seconds from throwing his laptop into the sun.

“Clear the cache and reboot the subnet,” Priya called without looking up.

Miles froze mid-rant. “I—how did you—? Never mind. Thanks.”

From across the room, Gabby shouted, “Priya! Are you secretly a supercomputer?”

“Not a secret,” Y/N called back, grinning as she carried a fresh stack of case reports to the file cabinet.

Gabby materialized at Priya’s desk not thirty seconds later, her eyes bright. “Okay, hear me out—Y/N and I are brainstorming themes for a tiny engagement dinner. Just for friends. Maybe something dreamy, like soft candlelight and snowflake accents?”

“I’m not getting involved in themed planning,” Priya replied without lifting her gaze.

Gabby groaned. “You always say that and then you help anyway.”

“You twist my arm.”

“I charm your arm,” Gabby corrected with a beaming smile.

From his desk nearby, Miles muttered, “Is that what you call it?”

Gabby ignored him entirely and leaned closer to Priya. “Come on. You saw the ring. It’s basically begging for a soft blue and silver motif. Maybe even fairy lights.”

Priya finally glanced at her, one brow arched. “You do realize I have an actual job here?”

“Yes, and you’ve already finished half of it because you’re brilliant, so that frees up some brainpower for theme consulting.”

Y/N walked by just in time to hear that. “She’s not wrong.”

Priya sighed with supreme patience. “One of these days, I’m going to let this place burn.”

“And we’ll all go down smiling because you taught us how to do everything,” Y/N said cheerfully, squeezing Priya’s shoulder in passing.

CJ popped his head out of his office then, catching the tail end of the exchange. “If this place burns, I’m blaming Gabby.”

“Fair,” Miles chimed in. “Seconded.”

Gabby gasped. “The betrayal!”

“Only because I trust Priya to actually save us,” CJ said, grinning.

Unbothered, Priya closed one tab, opened another, and said with impeccable calm, “As long as you all file your reports on time, I’ll consider saving you. Once.”

And just like that, the room moved around her—CJ ducking back into his office, Y/N handling calls with a calm grace, Miles muttering at a screen, Gabby flitting from desk to desk like a vibrant storm. Through it all, Priya Desai held down the center.

The calm. The compass. The constant.

And without her, The Stand would have fallen into chaos a long time ago.

The sun dipped low behind the buildings as Priya stepped out of The Stand, her canvas bag slung over her shoulder and her dark eyes tired but calm. The day had been steady—no emergencies, a few hiccups, nothing she couldn’t smooth over. She breathed in the cool evening air, already picturing the quiet rhythm of her apartment and the man who waited there.

Raja.

She found him exactly as she knew she would: sitting cross-legged on her couch, barefoot, a book in his lap and two mugs of steaming chai on the coffee table. He looked up when she entered, his expression softening into a smile that melted away the tension she hadn’t even realized she was carrying.

“Hey,” he said quietly, setting the book aside.

“Hi,” she replied, toeing off her shoes and stepping into the familiar calm of home. The scent of cardamom and cinnamon drifted to her, wrapped in the comfort of the apartment they didn’t share—but occupied together more often than not.

He stood as she came closer and gathered her into his arms without a word. She tucked her face into his shoulder and let the silence linger between them, warm and grounding.

“You look tired,” he murmured into her hair.

“Long day,” she admitted, “but not a bad one.”

They settled into the easy rhythm that had become second nature—plates already set out for dinner, a modest meal of rajma and rice waiting in the slow cooker, the scent filling the space with something both nostalgic and satisfying. She changed into soft loungewear while Raja reheated the food, humming quietly in the kitchen.

Dinner was quiet, the kind of quiet that didn’t feel like silence. They spoke about small things: a new intern at Raja’s firm, a grant Priya was helping CJ apply for, the prospect of rain over the weekend. Raja made her laugh once, a low warm sound that made him smile and reach across the table to brush his fingers against hers.

Later, with dishes cleaned and the lights dimmed, they curled up together on the couch, her feet tucked beneath his leg, her head on his shoulder.

“You ever think about it?” he asked, voice soft.

Priya turned to glance up at him. “About what?”

“Us. The future. Where this is going.”

She was quiet for a long moment before she answered. “I do. Just… slowly.”

“I know,” Raja said gently. “I’m in no rush.”

That was the thing about him. He never pushed. Never demanded. He just… stayed. Present. Constant. Like her.

And in that, Priya Desai found something she hadn’t expected: peace.

She kissed his shoulder lightly and closed her eyes. “Thanks for dinner.”

“Thanks for being mine,” he whispered, threading their fingers together.

The night passed just like that—unhurried, easy, and full of quiet promise.

Tag List: @kmc1989, @ozwriterchick, @star-yawnznn, @hobby27, @hellsbratonthet

Want to be a part of this tag list or others? Message me here! And check out the other story I’m writing!

[uesp]

hi! i saw the guide to make sure Skyrim doesnt update, and i have to thank you very much for that!

unfortunately, im running out of space on my pc and have to get uninstall skyrim and all my mods. is there any way to guarantee that, if i ever reinstall, it wont install the lastest version?

i really dont care about having the latest version even months from now, i just wanna make sure ill have an easy time getting mods back when i do reinstall

thanks for any and all help!

I'm not aware if you can prevent a fresh install from being the latest version (my assumption is no, but if anyone knows more please feel free to add on your knowledge), but you can downgrade to any previous version. And here is an older guide I've written on how to do this for Starfield, but the general instructions on how to do this are the same:

How to Revert Updates on Steam

There may be times where you wish to revert an update. For example, there may be mod conflicts from an update, the update may have caused unintended issues for your save, or you may simply wish to experience an earlier version of the game again. Doing so simply requires you to replace the updated files with their earlier version, and disable future updates until you wish to progress to the updated version. However, this will require more work unless you regularly backup your game files. Also, you will likely want to back your game files before you attempt to revert to an earlier version.

It is possible to download the necessary files to downgrade your game version from Steam. First you will need to access the steam console. Using the Run program on Windows and input:

steam://open/console

This will open a normally hidden tab of the Steam browser, the Console tab. At the bottom of the page will be a command line. The general format for the command is:

download_depot [App ID] [Depot ID] [Manifest ID]

For Starfield, the App ID is 1716740, and the Depot ID for the updates is 1716741. The Manifest ID is for the specific patch you wish to download. The Manifest IDs are documented on SteamDB. For example, at time of writing they currently are 4447793252473787578, 8383043874900915235, and 3276175983502685135. If you wanted version 1.7.29, you would input:

download_depot 1716740 1716741 8383043874900915235

If you wanted the files for the initial release, you would input the command:

download_depot 1716740 1716741 4447793252473787578

Once the command is inputted, Steam will download the depot. You will be able to tell it worked by this appearing in the console log after your command (this example being for the initial release of the game):

Downloading depot 1716741 (27 MB) ...

Followed by:

Depot download complete : "[Steam Download Path]Steam\steamapps\content\app_1716740\depot_1716741" (21 files, manifest 4447793252473787578)

Note that the exact location of your download location will change depending on where you installed Steam, but as the log helpfully tells you where that is it should not be hard to find. Go to the folder listed there, and extract its contents to your Starfield install location. Replace all files with the files from the depot, and you will have successfully reverted to a previous version of the game. When you start the game, it will be this earlier version once more.

Keep in mind that reverting to a previous version on a save that was created on a more recent version is likely to cause issues, if it works at all.

[foxglovegames]

DEV LOG: 2023 Recap!

We wanted to post this update at the end of Dec, but time got away from us! We have a lot to look back at in 2023...

❁ We released Trouble Comes Twice!

We're very proud to have released our first game as a studio!

There were some rough patches, so we are forever thankful for the support from our players, backers, patrons, family, friends, and the talented freelancers who helped this project become more than just a dream.

Although we couldn't be more grateful for the positive reception, we're also noting down feedback and criticism for future projects. We're confident that our experiences working on TCT will help us make even better games in the future!

❁ Trouble Comes Twice: Bonus Stories!

Trouble Comes Twice: Bonus Stories is a DLC we've been working on for the past months and it's also going to be our last major public update to the game before we bid goodbye to these characters.

This DLC isn't a sequel or anything major, it's more like a collection of short bonus stories (hence the name) so it'll be relatively inexpensive. We mostly recommend it to players interested in more than one of the couples, that way you'll get the most out of the content! We don't dare to promise an exact release day yet, but we're currently wrapping up coding and should begin testing before the month's up. So probaaaably February for the release?

❁ Burn the Midnight Oil

Towards the end of 2023, early production began on our next visual novel Burn the Midnight Oil. You can catch a small sneak peek at two of the six romance options above.

Starring vampires, demons and other horrors of the night - it's a supernatural neo-noir romance drama set in a fictionalized version of 80s England. The player steps into the shoes of the vengeful private detective Circe, a vampire infamous for hunting her own kind and the reluctant cop Dante, a short-tempered half-demon torn between his human side and the world of the supernatural.

We're excited for everyone to meet Circe, Dante and the rest of the cast when we officially announce this project later this year!

❁ Plans for 2024

We have a handful of goals for 2024, some bigger than others.

★ Releasing the DLC for Trouble Comes Twice!

★ Burn the Midnight Oil Announcement + Kickstarter

★ Other things and secrets...?

Thank you for an amazing 2023 and here's to a great 2024! ✨

[omorimodreverie]

Reverie Dev Log - November and December

Side Note: This one is quite long, if you only want an important part, there is a TL;DR summary at the bottom.

New Year Note

Happy New Year! We have now reached 2024! Reverie has begun as a little project since April 2021, before it even has its name. The more modern variant began after the demo release in August 2021, with CH1 releasing in May 2022, so it’s been a long way.

Though to admit, considering CH2.5 update came in December 2022, this means CH3 has a gap of a year now (though there are some updates and patches on 2.5 for a few months. This makes it seem like progress has been in stagnation, especially with delayed dev log recently.

This one will be shorter in technical and progress details, and more about the general gist of development plans in general, the surrounding environmental change in modding and OMORI as a whole (as that bears a great effect currently), and finally explains the slow down a bit (though a TL;DR: basically the past few months is holidays).

Also, Development post will now rather be every 2 months as well.

(And also the time is better spent on actually development than just writing, lol)

Overview

November and December for its period of time wasn’t as much done compared to previous months, though it wasn’t as bad as the worst case scenario when factoring in multiple holidays coming in that could have easily killed the motivation entirely. So all things considered, it’s relatively steady going despite the circumstances

For a quick rundown:

More NPCs implemented in maps

Writing is a bit more organized and more steady in terms of work now (And also an additional writer member!)

Portraits started to be done for most main characters

Connected up some progression from separate disjointed cutscenes

Some new plans that reduces workload*

Some enemy sprites are done as well on the side**

A few changes and re-polish on some music tracks

*for example, sunset are done on same map with filter than whole new set of maps

**Which are low priority, more of optional content in CH3 context

Updates, Changes and Needs

There are multiple factors that affect development, here it will be listed from short term factor to long term factor and potential future.

Holiday and Breaks

Let’s start with easy stuff, the short term factor. The past few months contain multiple holidays and also school breaks for some people. There isn’t much to say here, people on holidays get busy therefore less people are doing mod work, especially Christmas and New Year holiday.

(I mean, reverie is a fan mod project, not a job, lol)

Though there is still at least some minimum baseline of trying to keep interest up with some check in, so the interest doesn’t die off entirely, as mentioned in previous Dev Log before large holidays tend to be in big risk for that.

CH3 and Real World Content

One major thing to think about is the length of the real world section and the amount of content it has. The real world content has a large upfront cost due to making an entire new asset for the majority of aspects, so any new things added more will take far longer time than usual other chapters in the dream world.

There are two major aspects to consider, the mandatory story aspect, and the optional side content aspect. 

Mandatory / Story Content

As of current the main story aspect of CH3 is quite short, unlike Dreamworld areas, the Real world main content mostly revolves around cutscenes and dialogues, if you speed through the dialogue and cutscenes, it could very well take only half an hour or less to go through (though that’s unlikely the way it’s played on first playthrough at least, ignoring reading time).

One conflict is that, Reverie as a mod is far more focused on Dreamworld sections and battle heavy, making real world sections a bit awkward to make, taking quite a large amount of development time compared to other dream world chapters. The question then is how much real world content should be made, factoring in development time?

Side / Optional Content

As for side content, like in base game it’s mostly NPCs giving fetch quests (which are simpler to make), or potentially jobs (which is a bit more complex).

One unique aspect of Reverie over the base game though, is some amount of gameplay battles to at least give something to do (think of Jackson poster in Hobbeez in base game, but more fleshed out).

The important question is, how much side content should there be in the real world section of reverie? While it is cool to have some side content in real world and is a common complaint on base game itself that the real world feels lackluster, making more things in real world also takes up a large amount of development time which is not ideal. It’s a balancing act between not too lackluster but also not too much content which would take too much time.

RPGMV Needs and Modding Community

And finally, the general community aspect. The OMORI fandom has aged quite a while now, and as time passes the amount of people interested is reduced as well. This project is ultimately a fan project so the amount of interest on the mod isn’t really a problem, but what does this mean is there are less people interested in OMORI and also modding in general,.

A fair amount of people who tend to do RPGMaker MV (RPGMV) works tend to now be out no longer modding, or new members who do would tend to be making own project anyways. This means there has been less people who are available with RPGMV side, which means aspects like cutscenes should be cut down smaller to avoid development hell.

What this means for development is the gears shift from previous usual development focused on efficiency (getting task as parallel as possible), to a slower but sustainable development, focusing more on sustaining interest, which is better than losing interest totally.

TL;DR

Basically, the key important points are:

Short term aspect of Holidays and New Year makes November and December slow period in general.

Real World content (and CH3 by extension) is more time consuming and harder to make than other chapters

Therefore, amount of Real World content needs to be discussed, both mandatory and optional content

There has been less people in Omori community in general meaning there is less people to go by, especially RPGMV sector

Therefore, development has switched to a more slow burn state, taking things slow but sustaining interest to avoid burn out or lost motivation

And for development posts, now will be posting every 2 months than every months instead to reduce writing.

And about Applications...

Applications are always open! RPGMV / Programmers are always appreciated!

Final Stuff

Well now that you read this far, here's some portrait of Daphne and Bowen! (and also probably the only few sprite that is showable related to CH3 now)

There isn't much detail, but when resized down it is enough as a sprite

[horsegamergirl]

Updated January 30th 2025

Known Issues:

The second Star (collection) event at Aideen's Plaza is still active even if the player has already collected it before - affects all players, all platforms

Red squirrel, black squireel and white Mistfall chipmunk are deformed - affects all players, all platforms

Lisa missing during "Aideen's song at first light" for some players - affects some players, all platforms

The app version for the Ardennes can't change the mane style - affects all players, all platforms

Some players are not receiving all lore books during Soul Riding - affects all players, all platforms

Horses without a special trick may get stuck if the space bar is pressed while standing still - affects all players, desktop only

The hotkey to interact with objects in-game ("E") sometimes appears in the sky. If the player presses "E" while this prompt is visible, they are teleported back to their home stable and become stuck - affects all players, desktop only

------------------

Fixed issues January 27th-31st

Players can now interact with Linda in her room to start the quests related to "Catherine's Memories."

Players can now interact with Anne to complete the quest "Riding Out".

Horse consumables and other items can now be used via drag-and-drop as intended.

Smoothed out uneven terrain around Forgotten Fields to prevent players from getting stuck.

Items crafted in Farah's Workshop no longer incorrectly display the "bandages" icon in the final pop up message.

Non-heavy horses now correctly play hoof sounds when landing from a rear.

The 4th Star in Valedale can now be collected.

The "Hide My Hat" (only to me) pop up no longer appears on login when the setting is already checked.

Players are no longer teleported back to the hair salon at the Silverglade Manor after using a different hair salon in another area.

The music during Jorvik Dressage mastery now stops playing once the race is completed.

Collision issues on the horse transports have been resolved, preventing players from getting stuck.

Global chat now remains enabled after travelling from different spaces.

The high-score window now correctly displays the competition list on mobile.

The Friesian and Friesian Sporthorse (Gen 3) now correctly play sound during the rear animation.

Bolt (Gen 3) now correctly plays sound during reverse and rear animation.

Resolved an issue where walking pets would randomly jump back into the saddle bag.

Fixed an issue where one of the hidden glyphs was incorrectly positioned underground in Hollow Woods.

[luckystar2025]

Konata: "Man, I miss the golden age of MMOs. Just logging on, hanging out with your friends, getting into fights with total strangers over meaningless drama..."

Kagami: "You literally just described every social media site."

Konata: (nodding sagely) "Exactly. Which is why Tumblr is an MMO."

Kagami: "…What?"

Konata: (leaning in, animated) "Think about it! You create a character—your blog. You pick a faction—fandoms, discourse groups, or you can go rogue and be a shitposter. There’s a complex economy—reblogs, likes, cursed JPEG trades. Guilds—mutual circles. And most importantly, PvP is always on."

Tsukasa: "What’s PvP?"

Konata: "Player versus player. And on Tumblr, it never stops. One bad take and suddenly you’ve got a level 99 user with a decade-old blog pulling out ancient receipts to destroy you in the notes."

Kagami: (sarcastic) "Right, and let me guess—staff are the out-of-touch devs who keep making bad updates?"

Konata: (grinning) "Exactly! Every few months they roll out a terrible patch, everyone riots, threatens to quit, but nobody actually leaves because we’re all addicted. It’s just like an MMO."

Miyuki: (adjusting her glasses, thoughtful) "It is true that social platforms have game-like mechanics. Many theorists consider engagement loops similar to reward structures in RPGs. The way users grind for followers, engagement, or clout could be likened to experience points..."

Konata: (snapping her fingers) "And Tumblr even has endgame content—random text posts from 2014 that get revived and go viral every few years, like legendary loot drops."

Tsukasa: "Wait… if Tumblr is an MMO, then what’s Twitter?"

Konata: (dead serious) "A battle royale."

Kagami: (groaning, rubbing her temples) "I hate that this actually makes sense."

[saythatuwill]

HELLO MY FRIENDS!! sorry for no updates/new works lately, ive been dealing w some flareups, plus im struggling w schoolwork. i HAVE been writing though!!

hey, psst ... tell you what, between me and you right... let's get a lil list of the things on my mind/in my wips

welcome to a new tag i will refer to as "SHERRY SHARES". ill put ideas n thoughts n other things in that tag from now on !! god the way im writing this is like patch notes/update logs for games. actually i love that for me. wake up gamers sherry patch notes just dropped.

☆ siren!noah chapter 2 — YES! it's real!! it will take me more time because im working on piecing the chapter together in a cohesive story! would you guys be ok if i gave this universe some fairytale-ish details... for the whimsy? or would you eat the insulation in my walls :(

☆ vessel x reader — my proper introduction to writing in the sleep token community! fluff fic! (sherry you already made a sleep token fic)... PROPER INTRODUCTION! it'll be fluffy and hurt/comfort-ish. vessel is such a boyfriend.

☆ fallen angel au — IT'S REAL! thank you to @omensbrainrot for effectively convincing me. so, don't expect a fic yet. i'll likely do one of my big thought posts for it, play around w it and gauge interest.

☆ super mario au — well, more specifically. i want to do a bowser!noah x royal!reader sorta thing... like reader is meant to be like princess peach in a way. is this cringe ?????? whatever i am free. i want to gauge interest in this one too.

☆ you read that sleep token au fic i wrote right? you did, right? ok... i'm trusting you. point is, i have been embracing the idea of making that whole universe with it and then starting a story with it! i mean, technically i have some lore notes (that i write like documents you'd find in a video game) that i could fix up and post. i'll think about it!

☆ android au! i haven't forgotten! i think i'll post more thoughts on it soon. i literally have the ending of a story for this au in my head. im getting ambitious with wanting to do multiple series...

☆ since before i began writing on tumblr, i've had this resident evil au in my head and i've thought about it a lot, i'd like to introduce that at some point because re!noah lives in my head rent free. i like to make noah sebastian into creechurrs :)

☆ EXTREMELY LATE april fools fic. idk if ill do it but i know what i WANT to do.

this has been my patch notes List Of Ideas. you can send thoughts/asks/concepts about any of these things whenever you'd like! im always happy to share, none of this is a secretly secret or anything ^w^

ONE MORE THING i wanted to thank all of you for the love and support ive been getting on my work. i know i say thanks a lot, but no words could possibly convey how much it means to me. just know that every lil msg in the tags, reply, reblog, dm, etc. means everything to me, i see them all!